Sea Beast Puppet Company
PUPPET MELTDOWN 2016 PROGRAM
Angry Young Men Ltd "You Can't Win"
Angry Young Men Ltd is a stagger of puppeteers. They've been around since 2007. They are from Milwaukee (Wisconsin, eh?). AYMLtd can probably drink your puppet troupe under the table. They have strong opinions about running zombies (i.e. that they suck). They would call themselves "Imagineers", but they'd probably get sued by Disney.
Connor Asher/Creventive Studios "You Can Keep Your Head ON"
Creventive is an arts & entertainment company, founded by: Connor Asher, located in Chicago, Illinois. We specialize in Concept/Design, Puppets, Costumes, Animatronics, Masks, Makeup/Prosthetics, and more!
Daniel Dempsey/Puppet Mechanics "Tiny Dancer"
Puppet Mechanics is Chicago based puppet company, dedicated to designing, directing and teaching puppetry in the Chicagoland area. Recently, Daniel and Rachel, founders of Puppet Mechanics, did the puppet direction for Avenue Q with Highland Park Players and are excited to be designing, building, and the puppetry direction for the Chicago Premiere of Hand to God at Victory Gardens Theater, opening Sept. 16th.
Marc Dunworth “A Box”
From building Disney parade characters, touring the Pacific Northwest with a bilingual Spanish puppet show, to performing marionette variety for children's birthday parties, Marc Dunworth has had a wild and woolly career in puppetry. With over 10 years of experience, Marc created The Dunworth Puppets in 2013 to provide creative and quality entertainment that tours to where ever your location might be. Currently, he resides in Chicago, IL, where he saw his first live puppet show when he was only 6 years old. Currently, Mr. Dunworth is touring his hit circus themed marionette variety show, "Here Comes the Circus!" to a preschool, library, birthday party near YOU!
Jill Frederickson “Beware of Dog”
Jill grew up in Michigan and attended Cranbrook Kingswood where she began her art addiction. She has a Bachelors of Art in European History from Northwestern University and also studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Jill currently is a member of Seabeast Puppet Company and runs the Little Puppet Company. She has been creating masks and puppets professionally for almost 25 years. She has been a voiceover actor since 2003. Additionally, Jill has worked in a variety of industries including dental insurance, real estate, film (yes, she has an IMDB listing), renaissance faires and theater. She has lived in Michigan, Chicago, Los Angeles, Taos, New Mexico and currently resides in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Jill is married to the wonderful writer and performer Eric Frederickson.
Noah Ginex/Sam Locke/Daniel Dempsey "Ice To Eat You"
The Noah Ginex Puppet Company was started in 1994 by Noah Ginex as a way to make money doing shows at birthday parties around the neighborhood. Between 1996 and 2001, NGPC did a pretty good business with birthday shows, before graduating to building puppets and creatures for the Chicago theater scene, then videos, films, and commercials.
Ali Goldaper “Anyone Can Draw”
Ali has been involved in building and performing puppets from slams to Broadway--mostly in and around New York City--since 2011. She'd like to thank Kat and Mary Kate for this opportunity.
Scott Gryder “Jody Gerland: A Star is ReBorn!”
Scott Gryder is a three-time Emmy Award winning, professional entertainer currently performing throughout the Chicagoland cabaret and musical theater scenes.
Starting in January 2011, Scott Gryder began his puppet cabaret performances with a felt family of his only creation from his crafting company TSGpuppetry, using a blend of patterns and free hand designs to create an assortment of completely handmade, customized character and human hand puppets.
Mary Kate Jenkins and Marc Dunworth
“Dead Rat Marionette Theatre: 2016 Season”
Mary Kate Jenkins is a Chicago area freelance puppet builder and puppeteer with a BFA in Drama from New York University's Experimental Theatre Wing. She has worked with several New York area production companies such as Basil Twist and Encyclopedia Pictura, where she worked on Bjork's music video for "Wanderlust." Props Design credits include “Buddy Holly” at Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace, “Sylvia” at the Metropolis Performing Arts Center, and “Iolanthe” at Light Opera Works. Her television puppetry credits include puppeteering for the children's eco-based television pilot "Mr. Furry Fur Fur and His Friendly Earth Friends." She currently works as a founding member of Sea Beast Puppet Company.
Chris Knowlton “Bad to the Bone”
Christopher Knowlton is a Ph.D. candidate in Bioengineering at the University of Illinois at Chicago as well as a dance/movement artist. Chris’s dance work has been featured in Science Magazine's Dance Your PhD contest, TEDxWindyCity 2013, FITSA Dance Festival in Puebla, Mexico, Illinois Art Council's One State Together in the Arts conference, DANscienCE Festival in Canberra, Australia, Queer, Ill & Okay, Salonathon and Chicago Moving Company's D49 & Dance Shelter. Chris also currently performs collaboratively with Chicago-based artists Erica Mott, Silvita Diaz Brown, Synapse Arts, ATOM-r and Power of Cheer.
Jenelle Weidlich "The Most Best Hat"
Created by Jenelle Weidlich in Video Anarchy with Tim Lagasse and Martin P. Robinson at the O'Neill National Puppetry Conference 2015.
Amie Whittmore "The Bat Story"
Amie Whittemore is an accomplished poet and dreamer who enjoys romantic trysts into the performing arts. Amie has just published her first book “Glass Harvest” and hopes you enjoy her new book as much as you enjoy her debut feature film “The Bat”. Visit her site and buy her book.
Hosted by The Moonsharks!
One of the oldest creatures on Earth is now the funniest creature on the Moon! You may catch a glimpse of us on our terrestrial missions in the City of Chicago, or online at youtube.com/themoonsharks!
